Some of the Fords being sold over in Europe (we're thinking S-MAX, Focus and Mondeo) are really quite sweet and would do well if they were sold here so we're hoping that European influence makes it over the ocean.

Ford, please please please don't fuck this up (aka, sending American style to Europe more than bringing Europe design here).

scene (Ford boardroom)
Former Ford CEO Bill Ford: I brought the Krimpets. And some Coors tallboys.
Ford CEO Alan Mulally: So you read the press release then, eh?
Ford: I did!
Mulally: And so you're thinking cakes and beers?
Ford: That's the plan, right?
Mulally: First off all, it would be crumpets. Second, it would be tea. Third, where are your pants?
Ford: Sold 'em.

Comments

Here's the thing: Ford *has* brought several European cars over here, but people don't want them. They think they do, but they don't.

Examples:
Merkur XR4Ti -- aka the Ford Sierra. Best-seller in Europe, flop in America.
Merkur Scorpio -- aka the Ford Granada. See above.
Mercury Cougar -- A near-exact duplicate of the version sold in Europe. Too harsh and noisy for American tastes.

So far the only European Ford that has had any real success over here has been the Ford Focus.

Other examples: The VW Golf. The BMW 318ti. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class wagon. Mazda6 hatchback. All cars that are big hits in Europe, but Americans just don't want 'em. Just like Europeans don't particularly want VW Jettas or Toyota Camrys. They want cars like the Nissan Primera -- another car that was sold over here (Infiniti G20) and didn't do particularly well for the lack of a gas-sucking V6 engine.

Fact is, the American and European markets are just too different -- that's why American and Japanese automakers develop unique cars for both markets, and why mainstream European marques that don't develop products specifically for the USA -- Renault, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Volvo, etc. -- never achieve the same sort of sales numbers here.